Projectile for breaking wire entanglements



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Feb. 19, 1929.

w! A. BRODIE PROJECTILE FOR BREAKING WIRE ENTANGLEMENTS Filed NOV. 11, 1926 H F .9 F, .5 s h v I Patented Feb. 19, 1929 it 'UNETEE STATES L'ZtZJlS WILLIAM A. BRODIE, OF TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA.

v The object of the invention is to provide a shell which when directed into an area protected ,by wire'entanglements willv engage with the wires and tear down the entanglement in such a manner as to allow the passage of troops through the protected area.

The principal feature of the invention consists in the arrangement of hinged arms within the projectile which when released will extend radially from the projectile to engage and tear down the wire entanglements into which it is directed.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a longitudinal mid-sectional view of a projectile constructed in accordance with this invention.

7 Figure 2 is an elevational view of the projectile showing the arms distended Figure 3 is a cross section through the line 3-3 of Figure 1.

j, In the practice of warfare it has been demonstrated that wire entanglements form a very strong and almost impregnable defence which have required vast quantities of high explosive shells to break down to permit the passage of troops and the present invention proposes a very effective means for tearing down such entanglements. The invention comprises a projectile bod 1 which may be of cast metal having a trans- 3O verse slot 2 formed therein which extends longitudinally of the side walls of the shell forming the channels 3.

A pin 4 of ample proportions extends transversely of the slot 2 and on this pin are pivotally mounted a pair of arms 5, the outer sides 6 of which conform to the contour of the outer wall of the projectile when in the closed position. The arms extend longitudinally of the channels 3 and the extremities thereof are secured by engagement with a 1 flange 7 of the fuse cap 8. I The fuse cap 8 is threaded into the open i end of a cavity 9 in the nose end of the proj ectile which is adapted to contain a suitable quantity of an explosive which when detonated by the fuse will blow off the cap and release the arms 5.

The arms 5upon being released will by the rotative movement of the projectile be thrown end to said rigid shell body and having their PROJECTILE FOR BREAKING VIBE ENTANGLEMENTS.

Application filed November 11, 1926. Serial No. 147,660.

outwardly and the rotating projectile with the projecting arms striking into a wire entanglement will engage the Wires and tear down the structure.

The arms 5 are of a very sturdystructure and material and will effectively resist the impact with the structures encountered. The base end of the projectile is provided with the usual gas ring 10.

l/Vhat I claim as my invention is:

1. A projectile having a rigid cast metal body formed with a cavity for the reception of explosive material in the forward end thereof opening forwardly, arms pivoted to said ri 'id body and extending forwardly at the sides thereof, means closing the open end of said cavity and engaging said arms to prevent their outward movement, said closing means being adapted to be blown free from the shell cavity to effect the release of the arms and permit the same to swing outwardly through the rotative action of the projectile in flight, the walls of said cavity confining theforce of the explosion laterally to shield the arms therefrom.

2. A projectile having a rigid body formed with longitudinally extending slots in opposite sides thereof diverging toward the for ward end and having a central intact portion between said slots, a cavity adapted to contain explosives formed in said intact portion 3 and being open only at the forward end, the wall of said cavity being adapted to resist the lateral force of explosion, arms arranged in said slots pivotally connected at their rear forward ends terminating adjacent the open end of said cavity, and a fuse cap threaded into and closing the forward end of said shell cavity and engaging the adjacent ends of said arms to normally prevent their outward movement, said cap being adapted to be blow free from the shell cavity to permit said arms to be extended laterally through the centrifugal action of the rotating shell independent of the explosive force within said cavity.

3. A projectile having a rigid cast metal body formed with a diametrically disposed slot extending transversely from side to side thereof and channels extending longitudinally, forward from said slot on opposite sides thereof a pin extending diametrically of said shell transversely of said slot, a pair of arms each hinged on said diametrically arranged pin and housed in said slot and channels, means mounted on said rigid shell body and engaging the forward ends of said arms to secure the latter in the channels, and means for breaking said engagement to effect the release only of said arms during the flightof said projectile to permit the arms to extend laterally outward by centrifugal force due to the rotative motion of the projectile.

WILLIAM A. BRODIE. 

